New transplant approach offers hope for sickle cell patients without a perfect donor match

This early-phase study tests a new type of stem cell transplant for people with severe sickle cell disease who don't have a fully matched sibling donor. It uses a half-matched family donor and a milder chemotherapy regimen to prepare the body, along with removing certain immune cells from the donor cells to reduce complications. The goal is to see if this approach is safe and can create a mix of donor and patient blood cells, potentially controlling the disease with fewer side effects.